Friday in the Fort with Red and Vee from Vampire-Diaries dot net!

Red is the British half of the Vampire-Diaries.net team. He lives in England a few miles from the east coast, and likes English Breakfast tea, marmite on toast, and cats (though preferably not anywhere near the marmite - it doesn't mix well with fur). Vee is the American half, who lives in the Southwest, and likes chai, wasabi cashews, and anything related to (good) music.

Red and Vee have known each other for over ten years, and met through their mutual love for L.J. Smith's Vampire Diaries books. Together, they run Vampire-Diaries.net, an ever-growing fansite for the Vampire Diaries book and television series. They are also co-editors of Smart Pop Books' Vampire Diaries anthology, A Visitor's Guide to Mystic Falls: Your Favorite Authors on The Vampire Diaries, featuring contributions from a variety of wonderful YA authors. They are still in awe that they were asked to take part in the book and hope people like it so they can remedy the distinct lack of Alaric in a follow-up volume. (Though the distinct lack of Alaric in Season 2 so far is alarming us muchly.)

Vee: Mashed potatoes. And I'm really particular about them - they have to have chunks of potato. If you can pour them, they are not true mashed potatoes, sorry. I like 'em with butter or pesto.

Favorite game?

Red: Crowded round a game of Trivial Pursuit by an open fire.

Vee: Top 5 Lists. (Read and/or see High Fidelity.)

Flannel, fleece or Snuggie? Red: I'm going to be awkward and say my feather duvet. I have been known to cart the thing around with me visiting people in the winter. Nothing else is quite as comforting.

Vee: Probably fleece. Yes, it often looks like glorified felt, but it sure does feel luscious.

If you had to choose Snuggie, which color would you pick?

Red: Red. I think that was predictable, though.

Vee: If you have the guts to wear a Snuggie, you better be willing to go all the way - so hot pink it is. Or lime green.

Fluffy socks or slippers? Red: Socks! I have a thing for socks. In fact, I'm currently banned from buying more socks in case they rise up to take over the world.

Vee: I am addicted to socks. I have two drawers dedicated to them in all their striped, knee-high glory. But the best socks I own are like cashmere on my toes. They're black and fluffy, like I'm wearing floating kittens...FROM HEAVEN. (Or something like that.)

Favorite fall drink?

Red: Hot chocolate. Warm milk with Cadbury's Dairy Milk melted in it.

Vee: Chai. It's my love. At this point, I'm sure I'm made of 50% chai. It is my every day, no-matter-when-or-where drink.

Ghost story or no? Do you remember any from slumber parties past?

Red: Definitely ghost stories. I had a thing for the paranormal as a kid, and a vivid imagination. I was known for making scary stories up, particularly about local places, so maybe I'd create a few ghosts for the Fort. Vee: I love ghost stories. My favorite isn't from a slumber party of yore though, but one I was told within the last few years on a very drunken New Year's Eve; I was given a crash course in traditional La Llorona stories. My favorite ghost stories are scary but laced with utter sadness, so I fell instantly in love.

Truth? Or dare? Red: Dare. The truth is often more frightening than the dare ever could be.

Vee: Truth. Always.

What singer/musician/band is a must have for The Fort soundtrack?

Red: I'm on a Mumford & Sons kick at the moment. Though Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds is fun to put on at a slumber party. Creepy story, and you can always sing along.

Vee: The Black Heart Procession, because that's what I'm listening to right now.

What movie would you bring to watch?

Red: Horror movies of decades past. Some old John Carpenter stuff (I have a thing for the original version of The Fog), or some Stephen King.

Vee: I love watching people watch Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (the original, with Bette Davis and Joan Crawford) for the first time. It entertains me like nothing else. Other than that, I am all about movies you can lovingly mock while watching; the cheesier, the better. Do you know how many times I've seen Mannequin? I pretty much have an entire routine for watching that movie.

Who's the ideal male mascot for The Fort and why?

Red: I feel like I should refuse to answer this one on the grounds that I can't bring myself to drop another guy in it. In the spirit of fun, though, I'll go with Nathan Fillion. The man is charming and hilarious, not to mention ruggedly handsome.

Vee: Am now suddenly obsessed with the thought of Nathan Fillion and James Franco in the same room together. Could you imagine? I think I'd observe them like they were lab rats. But as for my serious pick, Heath Ledger would have been my answer to this question a few years ago. (R.I.P. Heath.)

Marshmallows, lightly toasted or burned to a crisp?

Red: I have never roasted a marshmallow in my life! How tragic is that? It's not really a British thing, I don't think. Certainly not when I was a kid. I do like them melted and gooey, though.

Vee: BURNT. Look, here's how it's done: You put the marshmallow on a stick. You thrust it into the fire. You catch that marshmallow ON FIRE. You let the fire crawl down to the base, blow it out, then pull at the black marshmallow husk, shove it in your mouth, and then suck the gooey remains off your mighty fire stick. That is the only way to eat a marshmallow. Anything else is a tragic lie.

Awake all night or first one to sleep?

Red: Awake all night. I don't believe in mornings unless I'm still awake from the night before. Even then we're not on speaking terms.

Vee: Red's been trying to encourage me towards laziness (I'm an early bird), but I'm horrible at it. The older I get, the less time I spend in bed. Next thing you know I'm going to be offering the neighborhood kids Werther's Originals from the pocket of my cardigan sweater.

If awake all night, innocent practical joke or no?

Red: I'm not really a fan of practical jokes. I prefer regular jokes and comedy.

Vee: I prefer practical jokes with a lot of planning. They have to be on a near-professional level. That said, I am way too lazy for practical jokes. I am exceptionally good for laughing at the end result, though. I pray every day that I'll stumble into an Improv Everywhere mission, but it hasn't happened yet. (Yet.)

If you could have any YA author visit The Fort and tell stories, who would it be and what story would you ask them to tell?

Red: Melissa Marr. She could tell us some really cool stories about wicked fairies.

Vee: Does Neil Gaiman count? I'd like him to tell the story of Nathan Fillion and James Franco in a fort. With fairies. And mannequins that come to life in department stores. And the best part is that he'd be telling the story in That Voice.

Thanks for visiting! Once you stop laughing, dear reader, enter below to win a copy of A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO MYSTIC FALLS!

That was great! I would totally love a story with both Nathan Fillion and James Franco in it! And Melissa Marr is so nice. Those poor snuggled never get love...awesome interview! Yours are always so much fun to read.